Rail-joint tie.



No. 738,548. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

A. KEEPS.

RAIL JOINT TIE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 28, 1903. N0 MODEL. 7 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

V ABRAHAM KEEPS, OF FREEDOM, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT TIE SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 738,548, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed April 28, 1903.

T0 ctZZ whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM KEEPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Freedom, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joint Ties; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to rail-joint ties, and has for its object the production of a metal tie intended particularly to support and secure the meeting ends of two railway-rails, but which can also be employed, if desired, at any point of the track to take the place of the ordinary sleepers.

A further object of my invention is to provide means acting in conjunction with the tie for the purpose of preventing the joint-chair and the rails from moving lengthwise; and still another object of my'invention is to construct a device of the character stated in which wedge-keys are usedto lock the parts in place together, all of which can be removed in proper order by relatively light hammerblows, no bolts or nuts being employed.

It has been practically admitted that no lock-nut for railroad-track use has been found to be permanently successful, all failing in service in shorter or longer periods of time. By employing my invention with no nuts or nut-locks or wrenches for adjusting them not only can more track be laid or removed in a given length of time than by present methods, but it is more'securely held when once in place.

I accomplish the objects stated by means of the parts and their associations illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which-- Figure 1 is a side view of the tie and pivoted dogs, showing the rails endwise. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the wedge-pins for securing the keys. Fig. 3 is a top View of the tie, showing the meeting rails and throughrail locked in the same manner. Fig. 4: is a top view of the rail-bottom keys and the jointerial No. 154,701. (No model.)

chair or bridge-piece. Fig. 5 is a side view of the rail-keys and a longitudinalsectional view of the joint-chair. Fig. 6 represents an end view of a rail and a side view of an end portion of a tie, showing the rail secured by an angular wedgekey used for holding a through-rail. Fig. 7 is a top view of the tie and two meeting rails lockedas in the first figure and athrough-rail secured by the wedgekey shown in the sixth figure. Fig. Sis a perspeotive view of a cotter-pin sometimes used to secure the angular wedge-key.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several views.

Considering the drawings, letter A marks the tie, which is rolled with perpendicular sides rising from a flat bottom, as shown, and which may be of any width or weight. Near the ends of the ties to receive the j oint-chairs and rails the recesses B are cut correspondingly through the sides of the rail. The recesses B have rectangular bottom portions and edges at the top inclined outwardly toward the adjacent end of the tie. The inward edge of each recess Bis usually curved, as shown. 1

The through-rail is designated by letter C, and the meeting rails by letters D and E.

Letter F refers to the dogs, Figs. 1, 2, and Q 7 indicating their general shape. They are L-shaped blocks of metal, pivoted by means of the pivot-keys G, passing through the sides of the tie, and they are constructed to be turned in against the web of therails, which they support from the outside, and guard the rails against spreading. They are usually made rather heavy to increase their strength. After being turned in against the rails, as shown, the dogs are locked by the tapering or wedge-shaped keys H, passing through the sides of the ties, and these locking-keys are themselves secured by wedge-pins I. It is customary to provide each wedgepin with a side piece of sheet metal 1 which may be bent upwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the key is thus held against displacement. A wedge-shaped cotter-pin would perform the same office as well. a

The through-rail O is supported by the bridge-piece J, which lies in the rectangular bottom part of recesses B, or one of the bridge-pieces K (see Figs. 4 and 5) may be employed and placed in the recesses B, bridging the hollow of the tie and affording a support for the through-rail G.

When the two rails D and E are to be joined, the slotted bridge-piece K is used, with the rail-bottom keys L constructed substantially in accordance with those shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 692,152, issued to me January 28, 1902. Two keys L and two L are used, passing through the base of each rail near its end, as shown in Fig. 1. It is believed to be clear now that the rails cannot separate lengthwise, by'reason of their engagement with these keys. Bridge-piece K supports the two rail ends and is itself prevented from moving longitudinally by the shoulders M, which fit over the sides of the tie, as shown in Fig. 5.

While through-rail C may be locked by a pivoted dog F, as explained for the joined rails, it is sometimes advantageous to use the angular wedge-key N, having its inner portion overlying the base of the rail 0, and an outer dovetail portion 0, fitting a correspondingly-shaped recess P, formed in the outer Wall of recess B, which is thus varied in shape somewhat from its regular form. The office of the dovetail portion of this key and its seat or recess is to add to its security and to its ability to keep its place after being once driven home.

Letter Q, Fig. 8, refers to one form of cotter-pin passed through the end of angular wedge-key N to hold it in position (see Fig. 7) and having a bent leaf q.

After placing the bridge-pieces K, carrying rail-keys L, in recesses B the rails D and E are next moved into position, the inner edge of the base first, and the base is then turned down in such manner that the keys L will pass through the base-slots Z of each rail.

Some little play is necessary to the operation and for expansion and is determined beforehand by experience of the climate, of its location, and the service expected from the invention.

It is believed to be entirely clear from the drawings and explanation that myinvention may be put together and taken apart by blows from a hammer, no other tool being called for.

I am aware that metal ties having flat bottoms and perpendicular side walls have been made, and I do not claim that particular formation broadly.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rail-joint tie, the combination with two meeting rails, of a support for said rails, a tie having recesses adapted to receive said rails and support, means constructed to hold said support against endwise movement, de-

vices adapted to hold said rails against 1ongitudinal displacement on the support, a pivoted dog outside the rails and bearing against both rails, and dog-locking contrivances.

2. In a rail-joint tie, the combination of a tie having perpendicular sides provided with corresponding recesses B constructed to receive the rails, pivoted dogs constructed and arranged to be turned against the web of the rail, bridge-pieces adapted to be placed in said recesses across the hollow of the tie and having shoulders engaging the sides of the tie wherebylongitudinal displacement of said bridge-pieces is prevented, means connecting the rails and bridge-pieces and constructed to prevent the rails from moving lengthwise, keys having converging surfaces and passing through the sides of said tie, the said keys adapted to act as wedges and to lock the said pivoted dogs against the rails, substantially as described.

3. In a rail-joint tie, the combination of a tie having perpendicular sides provided with corresponding recesses B'constructed to receive the rails, a pivoted dog constructed and arranged to be turned against the web of the rail, a slotted bridge-piece adapted to be placed in said recesses across the hollow of the tie and having shoulders engaging the sides of the tie whereby longitudinal displacement of said bridge-piece is prevented, meeting rails D and E having slots through their bases near their ends, rail-bottom keys L engaging the slots in rails and bridge-piece whereby the rails are held against movement lengthwise, a wedge shaped key passing through the sides of the tie and acting as a wedge to lock the said pivoted dog against the rails, and means for securing the key, substantially as described.

4. In a rail-joint tie, the combination with a rail, of a support for the rail, a tie having recessess adapted to receive said rail and support, means constructed to hold said support against endwise movement, devices adapted to hold the rail against longitudinal displacement, a pivoted dog outside the rail and bearing against the rail, and dog-locking contrivances.

5. In a rail-joint tie, the combination of a rail and a support for the rail, of a metallic tie having a trough form and vertical sides with corresponding recesses in their edges adapted to receive the rail and support, means constructed to hold said support against endwise movement, devices adapted to hold said rail against longitudinal displacement upon said support, a pivoted dog outside the rail, and dog-locking contrivances.

6. In a rail-joint tie, the combination with two meeting rails of a tie having transverse recesses, the inner edges of said recesses constructed to engage the corresponding edges of the bases of the rails and to prevent displacement thereof vertically or inwardly, bridge-pieces engaging the said tie within I the recesses and held by such engagement against displacement lengthwise, detachable devices adapted to secure the bases of the rails upon said bridge-pieces whereby longitudinal movement of the rails is prevented, and means supported by the tie and acting upon the outside of the rails for securing the rails in said recesses of the tie. 10

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM KEEPS. Witnesses:

LAWRENCE M. SEBRING, A. I. ANDERSON. 

